Author: Murph

Blood Red Sky Tonight Eclipses The Blue Moon, Manchester 8th Of January 2012

In two days time, it will be the 25th anniversary of Sir Alex Ferguson’s first FA Cup match as Manchester United manager which was won 1-0, with a goal by Norman Whiteside, against Manchester City. Over the last twenty five years, Ferguson’s been written off countless times by the certain people in the media. The first time was in the winter of 1989, the latest time was last week. Yet again all the obituaries have been written in haste, the front cover of this months 442 magazine was obviously commisioned with a United defeat at the Bradford gasworks stadium (thank you Mr Cousins) in the FA Cup expected. After the last match at Old Trafford between United and City, this is the first Manchester derby I’ve looked on with any trepidation since the 3-3 draw at Maine Road in October 1990, the last time City had a side that could’ve been considered somewhere near equal to United.

City today, were virtually at full strength. Sure, Yaya Toure has been collared by the Ivory Coast for African Nation’s cup but his replacement, Nigel De Jong ain’t a bad player to have as back up. City rested first choice keeper Joe Hart and replaced him with Costel Pantilimon, they can’t even say that the change of keeper weakened them as there was nothing Pantilimon could have done with any of Uniteds first half goals. Vincent Kompany was sent off for a two footed tackle on Nani on twelve minute’s, two minute’s after Rooney had headed United into the lead. In my opinion, the sending off was harsh, definetly a foul and a yellow card but not a sending off. Whilst Kompany may have been unlucky to have been sent off, the way City collapsed between then and half time is an indictment on them. Today in the first half, the pressure was really on for City and they can’t use the excuse of being a man down for that collapse. Any team with City’s aspiration’s should be able to cope with the loss of one man, no matter how harsh the decision or how important the player is to the team, which Vincent Kompany obviously is. The one City player who scares the shit out of me when he’s got the ball, David Silva, was anonymous throughout the entire game. The other dangerman Sergio Kun Aguero was a menace that was generally kept well under control apart from obviously the 64th minute when he seized on a James Milner cross after he’d capitalised on a mistake by a very rusty Paul Scholes.

United fans celebrating at the Bradford Gasworks stadium (Photograph courtesy of Neil Meehan)

I’ve since heard that from pundits and journalists that Wayne Rooney scored for United, against the run of play on 10 minutes. It must have been a similar run of play that the absent today, Mario Balotelli scored at Old Trafford in October as I never felt United were under any serious threat before City scored. Danny Wellbeck scored a beauty on 31 minutes with a swivelling volley that surprised Costel Pantilimon in the City goal. United were going for City with some gusto. Aleksandar Kolarov made a clumsy challenge on Wellbeck on 39 minutes for a definite penalty, Rooney forced a great save from Pantilimon but heads in the rebound. Before the match a win, any win would’ve been more than welcome. We’re now all dreaming of avenging the 6-1 defeat in October, especially when the magnificent Wellbeck just fails to connect in the six yard box in first half injury time. With all the momentum in United’s favour, half time was a nuiscance, it gave City time to regroup. When Aleksandar Kolarov scored with a perfect free kick, after a pretty soft decision from referee Chris Foy on 48 minutes, even with a man advantage, we knew it wasn’t going to be straight forward. Two minutes before Aguero brought the game back to 3-2, Valencia was tripped in the City box by Aleksandar Kolarov, for a blatant penalty which was waved away, by referee Chris Foy. After Aguero scored, it was a very nervous last 25 minutes.

United have had a couple of bad performance’s and defeat’s lately. Before today’s match, any win would’ve been welcome for United, bearing in mind City’s form and the feeling of dread amongst my red brethren for this game. With City’s failure to sell all their tickets for this fixture and with today’s result, it saves the deeply religious City fans of being in the moral Quandary of what to do on Sunday afternoons when their team are at home. Since the final whistle, a couple of hours ago, I’ve had text’s and phone call’s off red’s that I both like and respect telling me that it feel’s like a defeat or at best, a draw after the second half performance. As much as I like and respect these guy’s, I think it’s complete bollocks. United have won a game, back’s to the wall, away from home against a team that on present form, are the best in the country. There’s a lot of talk of papering over the cracks, especially with Scholes coming out of retirement but the crack’s have been getting papered over ever since them parasites seized control of the club in 2005. Whilst City have been running round like Viv Nicholson after too many Babycham’s and financial armagedon might only be round the corner for United, we might as well enjoy days like today as we’ve all known for a long time what’s coming.

Long, Cold And Dark November Nights – Manchester, 19th Of November 2011

Two long, long weeks of of no club football but a couple of international friendlies for England, a storm over poppies, Sepp Blatters blarney and an embargo on transfers ’til January mean newspaper journalist get ever more desparate to fill their pages. The day after United beat Sunderland, a frenzy was brewing up over FIFA’s refusal to allow England players to wear poppies on their shirts for the forthcoming friendly against Spain. Amongst the usual knee jerk reaction of political correctness gone mad and such forth (waddya mean you’d forgotten about it ??). Exactly six years to the day before England played Spain, England played against Argentina without wearing poppies, there was no clamour for the team to wear poppies, can anybody tell me what’s changed in the last six years ? By sheer coincidence, prior to the poppy furore, England skipper John Terry, had been accused of racially abusing Queens Park Rangers centre half Anton Ferdinand. This allegation had taken up a lot of column inches in the national press and the FA, with admirable common sense had decided to adopt an innocent ’til proven guilty stance. I wonder why they didn’t take that stance with Johnathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer in 2001 or with Rio Ferdinand in 2003? The problem the FA have with the John Terry allegation is that, like badly pasted wallpaper, the bubble gets pressed down, only to resurface, just as bad, pretty close by. Still the poppy fury sold a few papers, got an awful lot of people wound up about something they’d forget about a week later and ended up with the farcical gesture of players having poppies painted on their boots to circumnavigate a ban that had never existed in the first place.

Continue reading Long, Cold And Dark November Nights – Manchester, 19th Of November 2011

Fergie Time: 25 Years ago 1986/1987

United made a terrible start to the 1986-1987 season, apparently still in a state of depressed inertia after blowing a ten point lead the previous season. The reds didn’t win ’til the 13th of September, beating Southampton 5-1 but United were only out of the relegation zone on goal difference. The discontent on the terraces towards Ron Atkinson was now coming to the fore. Ron Atkinson never had the hearts and minds at Old Trafford with the fans the way Sir Matt Busby or Tommy Docherty possesed, despite being very popular with the media. The United team were suddenly looking old and tired, players who should have never have pulled on the red shirt, like Graeme Hogg, Colin Gibson & Johnny Sivebaek were getting regular games. The main problem with the midfield of Bryan Robson, Norman Whiteside and Paul McGrath was trying to keep them out of the pub. Up front, we had a forward line of an ageing Frank Stapleton, the incredible Terry Gibson, a man who was signed from Coventry in exchange for Alan Brazil, he had the physical build of Diego Maradona and the footballing skill of Madonna and the hard working but not good enough signing from Nottingham Forest, Peter Davenport.

United drawing at Filbert Street in September 1986

United were drawn against Southampton for the 3rd round of the League Cup and six weeks after beating them 5-1 at Old Trafford, drew 0-0 meaning a replay at the Dell. Just over a week later, Southampton beat United 4-1 to knock United out of the league cup in what was Atkinsons’ last match as United manager.

Ron Atkinson’s last match as manager at The Dell

We’ve since learned that Bobby Charlton sounded Alex Ferguson out about the United managers job at 1986 World Cup in Mexico whilst he was there as Scotlands’ caretaker manager.

Alex Ferguson who’d nearly become Tottenham Hotspur manager when Keith Burkenshaw resigned in 1985, had been a phonemenal success in Scotland as Aberdeen manager and he had a clause in his Aberdeen contract that if Manchester United expressed an interest in him, he could talk to them. The talks which ended up in Ferguson becoming United manager were conducted in such a clandestine way as to bless a novel by Ian Fleming. On the 5th of November 1986, Ron Atkinson was dismissed as Uniteds’ manager, he walked away with a dignity which Tommy Docherty would’ve done well to witness and emulate. The following day, Alex Ferguson was announced as Uniteds’ new manager. He had two days to prepare for his first match against Oxford United at the Manor Ground. United lost 2-0 to Oxford, Ferguson claimed later that the enormity of what he’d taken on became apparent that day.

United lose 2-0 at the Manor Ground on the 8th November 1986. Alex Ferguson’s first match in charge

Following a goalless draw at Carrow Road, United won for the first time under Alex Ferguson when Johnny Sivabeck scored against Queens Park Rangers in a 1-0 win two weeks after he took over the reigns. Following a 1-0 defeat to newly promoted Wimbledon and two consecutive 3-3 draws against Spurs and Aston Villa, United went to Anfield to play the previous seasons double winners, Liverpool. If there was one game United didn’t need at this moment it was to be playing away to a Liverpool team whom in my opinion, at that time, would’ve given any team in the world a good game. As per usual in this fixture during the 1980s, Norman Whiteside upset the scousers and the form book whilst delighting the bookmakers to give United an unexpected win and as an added bonus, incur the wrath of the legendary John Peel on Radio 1. United only won one away league game all season, it would be typical that of all the places to get that win, it would be Anfield where it happened. Everything that symbolised United during that era occurred the following day when United lost at home to a Norwich City who in those days, were no mugs, but they shouldn’t have been beating United at Old Trafford.

Norman Whiteside scores the winner at Anfield on Boxing Day 1986

In early February and in a game where Terry Gibson scored his only goal for the reds, United won 2-0 against a title challenging Arsenal side who’d been taken over by George Graham the previous summer. This was the first sign of the steel Ferguson had instilled in the United side. Norman Whiteside wound up Arsenal midfielder Paul Davis and full back Viv Anderson to a frenzy and alongside Bryan Robson, ran the midfield imperiously. It wouldn’t be the last time during Fergusons reign that a match involving United and Arsenal became heated. Ferguson steadied the United side for the rest of the season to achieve mid table safety by March. On Easter Monday, with a last minute goal from Peter Davenport, United completed their first league double over Liverpool since 1969/1970.

United beat Liverpool 1-0 on Easter Monday 1987 with a late goal from Peter Davenport. Look out for Alan Hansen in the run to the goal. “Dreadful defending Des”

United finished the season in 11th place and with a 3-1 win over Aston Villa. In the FA cup, United beat Man City in the third round with a goal by Whiteside before losing to eventual winners, Coventry City in the fourth round. After the start to the season United made, the fans were generally happy with the placing but were hoping on a quick improvement. What United fans didn’t then realise was that the charismatic and likeable Atkinson had left the club in a shambles. In them days, City had a pretty decent youth side and were getting the best kids off the streets of Manchester, Uniteds’ youth side, despite reaching the youth cup final in 1986, losing over two legs to City, was a mess. This along with sorting out the active social lives and bonding sessions that Uniteds best players indulged in was Fergusons overriding priority which came to a head during the hilarious and now infamous interview with Norman Whiteside and Paul McGrath, on Granadas Kick off programme where both of them had clearly had a good day, just prior to an away match at Loftus road. This new policy was implemented much to the chagrin of pub landlords in Hulme, Salford, Altrincham…

United are knocked out of the FA Cup by eventual winners, Coventry City on the January 31st 1987. Look at the state of the pitch… 

Aftermath Of The Blue Massacre, The New Dawn After The Blue Moon, Manchester, 24th Of October, 2011

Over the years, I’ve seen United get a good leathering a few times. The first thrashing I remember United getting was at Goodison Park in October 1984 when a rampant Everton team, who’d go on to win the title that season, beat United 5-0. I remember a title chasing United side being beaten 4-1 by Queens Park Rangers at Old Trafford on New Year’s Day 1992 courtesy of a Dennis Bailey hat trick. The day/night before was Alex Ferguson’s fiftieth birthday and with United having a 5PM kick off the following day, there was a lot of innuendo and rumour as to how the United team had spent New Year’s Eve. On the day itself, a usually very good United team were appalling, losing heavily to a side they should have comfortably beaten.

In the Autumn of 1996, Newcastle United beat the Reds 5-0. That day, Newcastle were worthy winners but anybody who remembers that match knows that United were unlucky to lose 5-0. It was, as Ferguson said at the time, a blip and the end of season league table proved him right (this was the season, 1996-1997, that Liverpool, finished fouth in a two horse race). The same can be said about the time that United lost 4-0 at Anfield in September 1990 and 4-1 at Old Trafford, nineteen years later. Yes, the better team won but the results weren’t a true reflection of how United played, it was just one of those days.

A newly promoted City beat United 5-1 in September 1989, in a day and a game that no fan of either side will ever forget. United that day were that bad that they made a pretty poor City side look like world beaters. In March 2004, City beat United 4-1 in United’s first appearance at what was then called (I think) Eastlands. In my opinion, the result was a travesty, just another one of them occasional days when United had plenty of the game and created plenty of chances without finishing them off. City took their chances and it just summed up United’s day when Sean Wright-Phillips casually chipped in City’s fourth in the last minute. That season, Arsenal won the title without losing a league game, United would go on to win the F.A. Cup for the, to date, last time, beating City and Arsenal en route to Cardiff.

 The 5-1 in 1989 was, I thought, a once in lifetime day. Not even the most outlandish, bitter or deluded blue of my aquaintance ever thought anything like that would ever happen again, neither did I. Every one of my fellow reds knew that City were no longer the laughing stock. We all knew yesterday was gonna be a hard game but no red or blue, in their wildest nightmares or dreams saw this coming.

I’ve seen United play and ultimately lose valiantly to the mid 1980s Juventus team of Michel Platini, Paulo Rossi and Zbigniew Boniek (amongst others). I saw (virtually) the same United side destroy a Barcelona side that had Bernd Schuster and Diego Maradonna three weeks prior to the Juventus game. I watched United convincingly beat at least two great Liverpool sides in the 1980s and twice beat the so called invincibles of Arsenal in 2004. I saw Barcelona of Stoichcov, Bakero and Romario rip to pieces, a depleted, due to UEFA’s draconian foreigner rule, United side in 1994. That night, I think the average age of United subs bench was fifteen and three quarters* and those who were on the pitch weren’t much older. Whilst Barcelona can only play/beat what’s put in front of them, the outcome, 4-0, for me was farcical.

I’ve seen United well and deservedly beaten a few times. I’ve only ever seen United outclassed three times in my thirty years of watching them. First time was at the European cup final, against Barcelona in Rome, 2009, the second time was against the same team, same occasion in May this year and the third time was yesterday. With opportunities made and Silva rampant, six was a mercy. As much as United could and should’ve got double figures against Arsenal recently, City, if they’d have taken all their chances yesterday wouldn’t have been far shy of it either. Today, I’ve heard commentators and read match reports that said when Ballotelli passed City into the lead, it was against the run of play. In regards to possession percentages and what-have-you, they’re probably right but at no point did I ever think that City were under pressure. They soaked up United’s early possession with an efficiency that Jose Mourinho would admire. Going forward with Ballotelli, Aguero and the outstanding Silva, City looked frightening. United’s back four looked terrified of Silva but worst of all, United’s midfield didn’t exist. Everybody knows that Roy Keane’s never been replaced, yesterday, it was exposed in the most brutal possible way as there’s no way United would’ve lost so emphatically if Keane was in that midfield.

Alex Ferguson yesterday played Jonny Evans in the back four whilst leaving Nemanja Vidic and Phil Jones on the bench. When Ballotelli done Evans like a kipper in the first couple of minutes of the second half, which lead to Evans sending off, that folly was painfully shown up. At the time, whilst City were in control of the game, it was still only 1-0 and obviously retrievable, down to ten men against a team as organised as City, it was suicide. Jonny Evans is clearly not up to level required to play in a team of United’s ambition and I don’t believe he’ll ever be trusted again in an important game after yesterday’s debacle. Tomorrow night, United play Aldershot, it’s a blessing to have a first team game so soon after yesterday’s match and I for one, can’t wait for it to kick off.

On the bright side, in every season that I remember United getting a good hammering, at the end of every one of them seasons’, there was a trophy on United’s honours list. Yesterday was bad, but red brothers and sisters, when all’s said and done, it was three points dropped in October and we all know how long a football season is.

* A slight exaggeration, not by much though

Back In The Summer Of ’89 – Manchester, 23rd of October, 2011

Everybody’s talking about The Stone Roses as United are bookies’ favourites and about to play City. After a promising start by United, City run riot and are 3-0 up before United score a great goal to give some faint hope. It’s all in vain as City attack again in waves before winning comfortably, 5-1. This is a memory of mine from September 1989, a memory I never thought I’d see repeated, but today, it’s even worse. At least when City won 5-1 in 1989, it was at Maine Road, today, they’ve won 6-1 at Old Trafford.

Nearly two months ago, I watched United give Arsenal the same kind of thrashing I watched City give United today. Before today’s game, the word on the quiet from my red brethren was a draw would be a good result due to the obvious fact that City are playing well and United, despite good recent results, are not.

Since City beat Tottenham 5-1 at White Hart Lane, there’s been all kinds of talk about how this could be their year. My belief has been that City have not played any team that they shouldn’t beat since then and I was waiting to see how they’d get on against teams like Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool or United. Today they gave a pretty good answer. Knowing City fans the way I do, they’ll already be out in the satellite towns of Manchester (despite all their talk, you won’t see many City fans in Piccadilly Gardens tonight) celebrating winning the title, like last season, before the clocks went back. This City team certainly can but there’s a long way to go ’til next May. As things stand, United are twelve goals & five points behind City, today’s a bad loss but we’ve all seen United recover bigger deficits than this.

On a personal note, I’m writing this an hour after the game, the result hasn’t yet truly sunk in, all I know for sure is City deserved the win. One thing I’ve gotta say in fairness to City fans is that for the first time in my years of watching derby matches, not once did I hear any mention, celebration or singing about the Munich air crash. Whether this is down to them now having a good team and thus not feeling the need to celebrate a tragedy or whether it’s down to the deserved slapping some of their fans got on Wembley Way or the motorway services last April, I don’t know but it was refreshing not to hear it.

United started the game with plenty of possesion and aggression but, despite that, I never thought at any time that City were under any pressure. Ballotelli’s goal was just too easy and when Jonny Evans got sent off in the opening minutes of the second half, I could feel a long afternoon coming on. With City three up on seventy minutes, United went into a kamikaze attacking mode without actually looking like scoring. The understanbly boisterous City fans were quietened with ten minutes to go when Darren Fletcher scored. City fans know from plenty of past experience that if any team could come back from 3-0 down, it’s United and there was a nervous quiet amongst the City fans’ section, just to my right but whilst United kept on trying, City’s defence were just too disciplined to be rattled. I believed when Fletcher scored that it was only at best a face saver, in the end, with three City goals in injury time, it wasn’t even that.